LOAFERS

Everyday ensembles take on a dapper air through the mix and match of casual staples and more formal footwear, creating a distinctive contrast of styles that is renewing the concept of casualwear. Though considered a classic, the Consul Oxford quickly turns into a statement accessory when combined with a more informal look.

The Consul’s sleek façade features double stitching along the toe cap and upper as well as a hand-applied finish and sturdy Goodyear construction, making it one of our most popular and versatile styles, whether you choose to dress up or down.

The quality of a shoe is determined by a number of factors, the foremost being the material it is made of. Raw materials are at the very foundation of a shoe, dictating its performance and lifespan as well as its aesthetic, which is why we take great care to select only the best leathers from the finest tanneries around the world to make our footwear.

Our collections are made mainly from calfskin although goat, sheep and ox leathers are used as well. Our Calf Leather is full grain and dyed with aniline, finished with a glaze to give the leather a naturally transparent and high lustre.

One of our most popular materials is called Bookbinder, treated with resins to increase firmness and create a beautiful high shine. Fume is a lighter weight option that undergoes a special process in which it is buffed by hand with an abrasive brush to enhance the leather’s intensity. Betis features a rich, deep veneer as the result of careful tanning and a particular hand finishing process that uses creams to build up a distinctive and layered finish while Rois is a corrected grain leather that features a more matt and waxier appearance. Castoro is our classic suede while the Superbuck boasts a finer nap for a smoother and softer exterior.

A true icon is defined not only by the impact that it makes at the moment of its revealing, but the lasting relevance it enjoys more than half a century later.

In 1929, Church’s presented the Shanghai, a completely innovative style that was designed for Englishmen living abroad (particularly in the Far East) and one that redefined men’s footwear. In 2009, after finding an original model at the Northampton factory, the brand decided to re-issue an identical version with an intentionally vintage feel, a move that successfully resonated with clients, retailers and the fashion industry.

The shoe’s structure – a unique composite of a monk strap and brogue with tassel detail – is offset by a palette of natural shades, which serve to subtly tone down the elegance factor. The Shanghai’s aesthetic, which was considered avant-garde as much in 1929 as it is now, combines tradition with modernity, successfully achieving that ever-fickle balancing act between sophisticated and sporty.

The Shanghai’s most defining characteristic is the original rubber sole, which features an artfully designed “CHURCH CO” logo across the bottom and took an entire year to reproduce. This remarkable sole has appeared periodically throughout the brand’s style repertoire and was created to resist wear and tear, offering up the added benefit of versatility to an already exemplary shoe.

The contemporary rendition, which is constructed exactly as it was in 1929, features yet another element of distinction – the shoes are intentionally broken in and weathered by hand to fully evoke the vintage spirit of the original.

The Shanghai demonstrated Church’s foresight and innovative spirit when it was introduced while the style’s re-issue established its undeniable status as an icon of timeless elegance.